Compare towns
Boylston vs Wakefield vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Boylston | Wakefield | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
27,793Highest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47k about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
| Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #72 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Hadley |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.7 |
7.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.